The invention relates to a self-adhesive label, in particular, to self-adhesive labels for dispensing by machine or for dispensing by hand-operated labelling appliances.
Self-adhesive labels which are dispensed by machine or manually generally have to be removed from a material web provided with an anti-adhesion layer. This separation usually takes place by deflecting the material web over a dispensing edge with a small radius and the label thereby coming away from the material web and being stuck to its designated location. This method frequently entails the problem of some labels, in particular those which have a straight edge transversely to the running direction, being difficult to detach solely by deflecting the material web.
A past proposal for improving the detachment behaviour consisted in modifying the edge of the labels lying in front in the running direction such that their sides lying in front in the running direction are wave-like or oblique. Labels of this kind are known from British Patent 2 093 794. The result of this is to enable the labels to easily come away from the material web when the latter is deflected at the front end in relation to the running direction.
However the known labels have the disadvantage of requiring a certain external shape if their detachment from the material web is to be improved. For example, the known measure cannot help to improve the detachment properties of labels of a rectangular shape or those which, at least in the running direction, have a front edge disposed perpendicularly to the latter.
The present invention seeks to provide a label of the above-mentioned type which does not have the above disadvantages and which can easily be detached from a material web when dispensed by machine or manually, even when having a straight front edge extending transversely to the dispensing or running direction.
According to the present invention, there is provided a self-adhesive label comprising a base layer, an adhesive layer disposed at least on a part of the base layer, the label having a plurality of borders, the adhesive layer being formed at least at one of said borders whereby there is a reduction in the adhesive power of said adhesive layer in steps or continuously in the direction of said one of said borders.